1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers. More specifically, the present invention relates to printers that are adapted to mount on walls and other vertically oriented structures and surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Home and office printing devices are widely deployed and are frequently coupled to personal computers or computer networks. Personal computer printing devices commonly employ laser printing engines or inkjet printing engines, although other printer technologies are known. Laser and inkjet printing engines are also utilized in other printing devices, such as facsimile machines, copiers, multi-function peripherals, and other print and graphic producing machines (collectively “printing devices”).
Printing devices known in the prior art are designed for use on a flat, horizontal surface. Such surface area may be a desk top, table top, a cabinet or other item of furniture that is characterized as having a flat, horizontal surface. Some printing devices are known to be freestanding units, but these devices ultimately rest on the floor, a flat and horizontal surface. Thus, it is understood that printing devices consume some amount of surface area in the home, business or office in which they are located.
The amount of surface area consumed by modern printing devices varies somewhat based on the size and capacity of the printing device. In addition to the printing device itself, additional surface area is often consumed by media input and output trays.
A typical example of a personal laser printer known in the prior art has an output tray in the front and an input tray on the top that extends somewhat to the rear of the device. When space is allowed for ventilation, power and connecting cables, as well as user access, the horizontal surface area consumed by typical conventional printing devices often consumes the complete front-to-back area of a desk, table, or cabinet. Even a small personal laser printer, for example, will often consume an area about 18″ wide and 24″ deep, representing an area of 3 square feet. Higher capacity printers consume even more area.
The desktop area consumed by printing devices is usually at a premium, whether it is in a home, business or office environment. Consider the modern office environment with many employees in a given facility, most of whom have a personal printer or are members of a small group of people that share a printer. Office space is allocated and the cost associated therewith is based on square footage basis. Businesses frequently strive to keep the total square footage area, on a per employee basis, at a minimum. In an office cubical environment, per-employee cubical space is often limited to 36 square feet, sometimes less. As noted above, prior art printing devices consume about 3 square feet, perhaps more, of space. This represents 8% or more of the space in an individual's office space allocation.
Thus, there is a need in the art a system or method for reducing the surface area required by office machines generally and printing devices in particular.